Ryanair has announced a reduction in planes and traffic to and from Portugal in response to increased airport charges being rolled out.
The country’s airport authority, ANA Aeroportos de Portugal, is increasing the airport usage fees it charges airlines by up to 17%.
It will see airport charges rise 6% in Madeira, 9% in the Azores, 11% in Porto, 12% in Faro, and 17% in Lisbon.
Ryanair said: “These excessive increases by the monopoly of the French-owned airport, ANA, will hurt tourism and jobs in Portugal, especially in the island economies of Madeira and the Azores. This loss has already been evidenced by the closure of Ryanair’s base in Ponta Delgada for the winter of 2023/2024 and will be further demonstrated by the loss of one (of the two) aircraft based in Madeira in January 2024, in addition to the cuts in the summer of 2024 in Faro and Porto.”
Michael O’Leary, Ryanair Group Chief Executive, said:
“There is no justification for ANA’s monopoly to increase rates by up to 17% in 2024. The monopoly airport operator seeks even higher fees, on top of Portugal’s already high airport fees, to further line its pockets at the expense of Portuguese tourism and jobs, especially on the Portuguese islands (including Madeira and Azores) that depend on access and low-cost tourism to survive.”
“Portuguese airports, especially those on the islands, are being hurt by ANA’s monopoly price increases. As a result of ANA’s price hike in 2023, Ryanair closed its base in Ponta Delgada this winter. If ANA proceeds with these latest monopoly price increases for 2024, then Ryanair intends to reduce one of its two Madeira-based aircraft and significantly reduce our schedules to/from Faro and Porto for the summer of 2024.
“ANA’s monopoly should follow the example of other major European airports, especially in Spain, and freeze or reduce fares to help stimulate traffic and tourism recovery in Portugal post-Covid. Instead, ANA is damaging Portugal’s competitiveness with this excessive and unjustified 17% increase in tariffs, which will drive away much-needed tourism growth, especially on the islands of Madeira and the Azores.
“We call on ANAC to urgently intervene and reverse this monopoly price increase, protecting Portugal’s airlines, passengers and island economies from ANA’s excessive monopoly prices, before it is too late.”
